Automatic transmitter for telegraphic systems.



No. 835,750. J GELL PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906. AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTER FOR TELEGRAPHIG SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1904. RENEWED OCT. 19, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 835,750. PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

J. GELL.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTER FOR TELEGRAPHIO SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov, 28, 1904. RENEWED 00T.19, 1906.

a sums-sum z.

No. 835,750. PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

Y J. GB'LL. AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTER FOR TBLEGRAPHIO SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION TIL ED NOV. 28, 1904. RENEWED OGT. 19, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

$ g mu m 1mm 4' UNITED STATES PAEENT orrron.

JOHN GELL, OF H'IGHGATE, LONDON, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTER FOR TELEGRAPHIC SYSTEMS,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed November 28, 1904. Renewed October 19, 1906. Serial No; 839,700.

of parts hereinafter described, and particu larly pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accom-' panying drawings, in which-v Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention, a part of the casing'being omitted for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts in section and parts removed and omitted. Fig. 3-is a detail side view of the lever action and electrical contacts. Fig. 4 is a plan view of parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view of the checkshoe or guide. Fig. 6 is a side view of said guide. in, side elevation, of the differential speed gearing. Fig. 8 is a front view of the registering scale of the differential speed-gearing with. the. arts associated therewith. Fig. 9

is a side e evation of a modified form of lever action with the electric contacts controlled thereby. Fig. 10 is a further modification of 'the lever arrangement in which a s'eg mental wheel controls the impulses. Fig. 1 1

is a plan view of. the said segmental wheel; Fig. 12 is a side view of another modified ar-f rangement of lever action in which a lanternwheel is employed. Fig. 13 is a detail view of a modified lantern-wheel action- Fig. 14 is a sideview ,of the modified form of lanternwheel.

The invention is designed to control the electrical impulses in automatic telegraphy, and it operates in connection with a previously-perforated tape, so that as the tape passes over transmitting-pins the perforations therein will be presented to the transmitting-pins, which by rising through the perforations will allow certain electrical contacts to be made, whereas when imperforate portions of the tape are presented to the transmitting-pins the same will be prevented from rising and the contacts will not be made.

The perforated tape, as is usual in such instruments, has a central row of feed-holes, and'on each side of this there is a row of Fig.7 is a sectional view, withpartsmarking-holes which are irregularly placed according to the different arrangements of holes making up the different characters.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the star feedwheel, which engages the central row of per forations for feeding'the tape, (indicated at 4 in dotted lines, Fig. 1,) and 2 2 represent the positively-operating pins, .which are moved vertically and control the making'of the electrical contacts.

The star feed-wheel and the transmittingpins operate in connection with a guide or check shoe 6, consisting of a right-angular piece screwed to the frame 4 and having a transparent foot or check portion 5 secured to the horizontal portions .6 of the checkshoe by. screws, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6..

The tape passes over the table portion 7 of the frame and under the check shoe or foot, and the under surface ofthis shoe is provided with three grooves 8, arranged parallel with each other, the middle groove being for the star feed-Wheel and the outer grooves for the transmitting-pins.

The star feed-wheel is fixed to a shaft 9., journaled in the sides of the frameyas shown in Fig. 2, the said shaft being driven through a gearwheel 10 thereon, meshing with a pinion 11 on the shaft .12; This shaft in turn is driven through a' gear 13, meshing with a gear 14 on a shaft 15, which also is journaled in the sides of the frame. The shaft 15 also carriesa gearwheel 16, meshing, with a gear-wheel 17 on a shaft 18, which latter is journaled at one end in. the front side 19 of the frame, and at its rear end the said shaft is journaled in a block 20, screwed, as at 21, to the rear side 22 of the frame. This.

shaft 18 is spring-pressed longitudinally, for which purpose a pin 23 is employed, the head of whlch bears upon the end of the shaft 18, and a spring 24, surrounding the said pin 23 and located between its head and the upturned part of a bracket 25, serves to exert a elding force to the said shaft 18 to ress it lb ngitudinally. The shaft 18 has fine thereto a friction drive-disk 26, adapted to be borne upon by a friction drive-roller 27, car-.

ried by an upright shaft 28.- This shaft is the main drive-shaft of the apparatus'and is supported at its lower end in a step-bearing 29, while. its upper end finds a bearmg against antifriction-rollers 30, arran ed on each side of the same and journaled in a block 31', screwed to the rear side 22 of the frame. The upper end of the shaft 28 isreduced to Washer or slide 43,1itting beer on the said rollers. The vertical shaft 28 at its loWer end hes connected thereto the motor, which I have shown as consisting of en armature 32, secured to the shaft and rotating between fields 33. The shsft also carries the connnutor 34, brushes for which are indicated at 8". This electric motor msy be of any'known construction, and l have therefore shown it in e, diagrammatic msnner Without going into details. The friction drive-roller 27 has n splined connection with the verticel shaft 28 and is adapted to be adjusted verticelly in order to imnert more or less speed to the friction drive-disl-r 2%, end consequently to the train of gesr .ig which impsrts motion to the star feedsvheei end the tape, for the purpose of securing e differential drive the iriction drive-roller is provided with an extensi n. huh 36, heving en annular groove 37, receiving entifiictiomrollers 38, carried on the inner sides of the arms 39 by a brecliet or fork 48, which has portion entering slightly c vertical slot ll in the rear wall 22 of the frame, wherein it is held edi stehly by mesns of e clem scr-nr t2. This ClSJ-"QPfiSCI-SVJ side of the casing and coverin in ell positions to which the seie WZLShGl ne be adjusted.

in order to chenge th the heel, just the friction drive along thesheit 295, til from or neerer to the cen edislr the friction meet the bracket 46 does elso the Wssher 2, has at portion end when the desired roller is attained it may he i 1 the c ml ts in piece. inc see through onen" g pin 23 by 1 O l 1L0 secures grocer 52 to suitsble bracket supported on and insulated from the side Wall 19, as indicated in Fig. These levers cerry contact-points adapted to engage contact screws or points 53 54, the contact 53 being insulated and coecting With the lever 51, While the contact 54, which is also insulated, coects With the lever 51. The two contact-levers 51 51 are arrested by stop-screws 55, extending through a brscket 56, supported on the side of the frsme. These contact-levers end contacts control the eiectricel impulses when they are brought into engagement under the control of the transmitting-pins, its will now be described.

Each of the main levers 4d 46 is provided with e jockey-roller 56 5c, edepted to be engeged by a cam 57, having abrupt shoulders 58, the said cern being fixed to the shaft 12. As this shaft rotates end the tape is fed by the star feed avheel the cam 5'? will engage the jockevrollers end depress the levers t6 4 thus swing down the transmitting-pins and holding then-1 down until the abrupt shoulders er ive at the joclrev-rollers,.when the levers 46 will rise suddenly the the 4%, end it st this time there is 1 nerforetion in the time opposite the end transmitting-pin the said pin will rise t rough, and the movement thus allowed to the rnein lever 4 6 or 316, case may is Y in the ssid lever to operate the he appropriate elects eel contest, the ctricel inipnisc; but if ration in the i t....en it rises the Wid in lent will be arrested, event the lever or rorn opcovuPOlldlZ-lg contact, no one will result. The trend s drawn normally towers-d the i end crew-s s e adeptstvin J cg; rnov t or towers. these cl 0:651 melts the serne enmoment the upward movement of the pin takes place, and the electrical impulses are sent forward by the movement of the circuit closing lever or levers 51 51, according to the number and position of the marking-holes in the tape.

In transmitters for cable Working and the like it is usual to arrange the cam 57 so that both levers 46 and 46 will be depressed at the same time; but for the Morse system and the like it is sometimes desired that the electrical impulses should be sent-forward alternately, and for this purpose a divided cam or one specially formed s employed, 1 Fig. 2, the shoulders on such cam being so placed as to give the alternate action; The cams may also be so formed that the duration of the marking-signals are definite and determined, and cams of various shapes maybeused to suit different conditions and requirements, for which purpose the cams may be quickly removed and replaced by another adapted to give a different effect. This exchangeabilit is rendered possible in my present embodiment of the invention because the shaft 12 projects outside of the main inclosure and beyond its bearing in the Wall 19 leaving a free end upon which the cam maybe readily secured or from which it may be readily removed. I

Reverting again to the driving mechanism, it will be observed that'in changing or adjusting the diflerentialspeed-gear the washer 43' acts as a covering for the slot 41 and also as a Vernier-slide, bearing for this purpose an index-finger or pointer thereon, as shown in Fig. 8, which, acting with a scale on the frame,

ifngicates the speed at which the tape is being Referring to the modification of the lever and circuit-closing arrangement of Fig. 9, 60 represents one of the levers, whose function, generally speaking, is similar to that ofthe lever 46 above described. It is depressed periodically by a cam 57, elevated by a spring 48, and has pivotally attached thereto the transmitting-pin. 21. This lever, however, carries its contact directlly, said contact 61' consisting of a plate insu ated from and se,

cured to the arm 62 of the lever 60 which. arm extends at "right angles to the main portion of the lever. This contact engages the contact-screw 53 in closing the circuit.

There is a com anion lever to that shown at 60 arranged a ongside the same, but not necessary to illustrate, as the general arrangement and relation is the same'as that shown in Fig. 4 in respect to the levers 46 46; The contact-arm for the companion lever is, however, shown at 62 carrying an insulated contact-plate 61.

the contact-plates 61 61 from the insulated pillars 64 64, which are connected to the line-terminal. The contact-screws 53 53*,

the latter belonging to the contact-plate 62,

The current is conveyed to are connected, respectively, to the copper and zinc terminals of a split battery. At 55 a stop-screw is shown for the lever 60 Referring to another modification of a lever action(shown in Fig. 10) the main lever 65 is operated by a se mental wheel 57 instead I of by a' cam, said w eel acting on a tooth 56 on the lever. A stud 66, supported on and insulated from the lever, is connected electrically with the' insulated pillar 67. 68 is a suitably-insulated contact-screw. This arrangement of lever-contacts and pillar is duplicated. The two levers are arranged side by side, as in the form above described, both levers, however, being 0 erated from the same segmental wheel. he insulated pillar belon ing to the lever which is a companion to t e lever 65'is shown at 67, and this is connected with the contact-stud of the second lever. In connecting these parts into the circuit the pillars 67 67 are connected, respectively, to the copper and zinc terminals of a split battery, while the contactpoint 68 is connected to the line.

Fig. 12 shows a further modification of the lever action, in which a lantern-wheel 69 is employed. The number of pins and their position on the lantern-wheels determine the number of impulses it is possible to sent per revolution. In the form shown I have shown two pins 70'on the lantern-wheel, giving a two-contact action per revolution with a duration of the electrical impulses equal approximately to a quarter-revolution and a dwell or rest of a similar duration. In order to obtain this relation as to duration between the electrical im ulse and the period of rest,. the parts could ,e adapted and arranged so that the contact will begin when one of the pins of the lantern-wheel is to the right and in a line with the center of the shaft and the release to takeplace when the pin reached its lowest point. if this were done, the transmitting-pins 2 would be given too great a range of action, (unless the parts were made too small for accuracy and length of wear,) and I have therefore designed and employ the tooth 71. The radius of the bearing edge of this tooth on each of the levers is similar to the are which the pins describe during the revolution of the lanternwheel. As a result of this arrangement each of the pins 70 breaks the electrical contact at a oint in the revolution of the lantern-wheel W ich is midway between the horizontal plane of the centerof the shaft and the lowest point of movement of the pin, so that when the pin passes the lowest point of its revolution the levers do'not yet commence to rise, and, in fact, they are held down until the pin has passed up the curved bearing edge and off from the point of the tooth, when the levers rise under the action of their springs and the circuit' is closed for sending the electrical impulse.

The tooth 71 may be dispensed with and a plain lever may be employed in place of a toothed lever. In this form of ap aratus I employ the lantern-wheel shown in ig. i l, in which two pins are used on each side of the wheel adjacent each other and adapted to act in common on the lever, so that a longer action of the lantern wheel on the lever results than would be the case with a single pin on each side. The foremost pin of each pair breaks the contact, and when the key would otherwise rise, owing to the movement of the first pin, past the vertical center line or the lowest point of revolution the second pin oi the pair comes into effective play and holds the lever depressed until in the revolution of the lantern-wheel the said second pin passes the vertical center line and begins to rise, when the lever, under the action of its spring, begins to rise also to close the electric circuit and send forward impulse.

lhiy number of pins may be employed in carrying out this part of the invention, and. the lantern-wheels are provided with a series of holes, so that the pins can be inserted therein, as may be desired to obtain any modified action in respect to the duration of the con tact and the interval of rest.

if desired, rollers may be used in the lantern-wheels in place of pins, the pins in these cases becoming the pivots of the rollers.

Various parts of the mechanism described above as illustrating the principle of my in vention may be changed without departure from the "fundamental features of my invention.

The check foot or shoe, having a transparent portion, as described, renders visible the action of the star feed-wheel and the transmitting-pins.

It will be'understood, of course, that the cam, the segmental wheel, or the lanternwheel may be used with any one of the ar rangernents ct levers above described. The check or guide shoe may be in the form a roller, if desired.

The action of the segmental wheel (shown in Fig. 10) differs from the cam in that it gives a definite and uniform length, of contact and of dwell or rest. In other words, the contact is sharply broken, maintained for a uniform period, and sharply restored.

By my invention this instrument may be used for cable transmission or for the Morse double current, working by changing the form of the cam, segment-wheel, or lantern-wheel, thus avoiding the use of two distinct machines, which have heretofore been necessary.

I clc.im

1. In combination, in an automatic telegraphic transmitter, a star feed-wheel, pins to enter the marking-holes in. the tape, a train of gearing for driving the star feed-wheel, a lever for each of the transmittingepins, a retary element for depressing the two levers "and allowing them to rise to pass through the holes in the tape, and contacts controlled by the said levers for sending the electrical impulses, the said rotary element being removable and exchangeable with other rotary elements to vary the relative actions of the pins to suit the conditions of cable, Morse or other systems, substantially as described.

2. in combination, the star feed-wheel, transmitting-pins, a pair of levers for the transmitting-pins, an exchangeable cam or like device for operating the levers, contacts controlled by the levers and a shaft upon which the cam is carried, said shalt having a free end extending beyond its bearings upon which the said cam is removably held to be exchangeable for varying the relative action of the pins, substantially as described.

3. in combination, the star feed-wheel, transmitting-pins, a pair of levers for the said pins, contacts controlled by the said levers and a rotary element to operate the lever, said lever and rotary element having a contact-surface between them which is concentric to the center of rotation of the rotary element whereby the levers will be held depressed tor a definite and determined period, substantially as described.

4. in combination, the star feed-wheel, transmitting-pins, a pair of levers for the said pins, contacts controlled by the said levers and rotary element to operate the lever, said lever and rotary element having a contact-surface between them. which is concentricto the center of rotation of the rotary element whereby the levers will be held depressed fer a definite and determined period, said rotary element consisting of segmental wheel, substantial f as described.

5. in combination in an instrument of the class described, a star fee ting-pins to pass through openings in the tape moved by said star feed-wheel and diderential drive means for both the star feed-wheel and the transmitting 'a including a motor, a shaft, a frictionroln adjustable along said shaft and a friction-dish driven by the said roller ditierentially according to its adjustment with connections from said friction-dish to both the star feed wheel and the transmittingpins.

6. in combination, in an instrument of the class described, a slotted casing a star feedwheel, transmitting-pins, a motor, a friction driving-dish with connections from the same to the star-wheel and transmitting-pins, a friction drive-roller and means for adjusting the same along the motor-shaft comprising a slide or washer adapted to close the slot in the wall of the casing and serving a Vernierslide to indicate the speed, and means "for clamping the said slide in place in relation to a scale, substantially as described.

3 in combination in an instrument of the class described, a star feed-wheel, transmitting-pins, means for operating the same, and

l-wheel, transmib i a guide or check shoe formed of transparent material.

8. In an instrument of the class described, a star feed-wheel and a guide or check shoe having a groove for the feed-wheel to work in, said shoe being formed of transparent mato enter the marking-holes'in the tape, a pair of levers for the transmitting-pins, means for adjusting the lateral movement of the pins or their movement in the longitudinal direction of the tape and interchangeable cam means for giving the pins different reciprocating movements in res ect to each other, substantially as describe 11. In combination in an automatic telegraphic transmitter, a star feed-wheel, pins to enter the marking-holes in the tape, a pair of levers for the transmittin -pins, and cam means for the levers control ing the said levers definitely in two positions of contact off and contact on and of definite duration, substantially as described.

- 12. In combination in an automatic telegraphic transmitter, a star feed-wheel, pins -to enter the marking-holes in the tape, a pair of levers for the transmitting-pins, and cam means for the levers controlling the said levers definitely in two positions of contact off and contact on and of definite duration, said cam means including a high part concentric with the axis and also a low part concentric with the axis, substantially as described.

13. In a system of the character described,

1 the star feed-wheel, the two pins and interchangeable cam means for o erating the pins comprising a cam element aving its shoulders adapted'to operate the pins simultaneously and a second cam element having its shoulders relatively arranged to o erate the pins alternately, substantially as escribed.

14. In combination in an instrument of the class described, a star feed-wheel, a transmitting-pin, a lever connected thereto for operating the same, and means for operating the lever consisting of a lantern-wheel having ad'ustable pins.

n testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN GELL.

Witnesses:

E. COURTNEY WALKER, FRANCIS F. MCARDLE. 

